ClearVue Cyclone Installation #2: Cyclone and Piping

Cyclone – The cyclone itself wasn’t too tough to assemble. I do have to admit I would not have minded if the unit had a little less of the erector set feel to it. Everything was well made and solid. All the parts were there. The direction are good, and available online if you really want more detail. I didn’t take step by step photos as they are already included in the directions. I contacted ClearVue a couple of time during the build and the they were great to work with. Got back to me promptly with good answers. I didn’t have any problems that required parts, so I can’t speak to that, but from what I encountered I would expect them to be very responsive.

The assembly was pretty smooth. I did the entire job myself, but a helper would have been, well, helpful. I mounted the unit as high on the wall as I could just in case I ever have a basement flood.

I used the metal trash can for chip collection.

Piping – After the cyclone was installed it was time to move on to the piping. With the PVC this really went fairly easily. The parts held together well once seated, and the 2729 stuff isn’t very heavy. Once I had parts where I wanted them I took self tapping sheet metal screws and ran them through the double layers of PVC to fix them. Occasionally I used a couple of screws if a part was tending to move more than I wanted. Yes, the screw go into the pipe, and may give chips a place to get stuck, but I didn’t glue any joints, so if it becomes a problem I can disassemble and clean.

I put together all the tool drops first and mounted them on the walls. Since I’m in a basement I took some lengths of pre-slotted angle iron and used concrete anchors to fix it to the wall. I then took long electrical cable ties and used them to strap the pipe to the wall. I added a screw into the piping just above the cable tie to prevent the pipe from sliding over time. It seems to be pretty secure.

Once the tool drops were run I started the overhead piping. I chose to run the piping below any obstructions, so I didn’t have to move lights or go around HVAC ducting. It cost me a little headroom, by my basement has high ceilings so its not too bad. The light weight of the PVC really helps putting it up. Again I did it myself and it wasn’t too bad at all. I used plastic hanging strap from HD to support the pipe.

The worst part of the install was mating the cyclone inlet to the piping. The cyclone comes off at about 10degrees. I heat bent the PVC, which was not a neat process. Heating it up enough to bend it wasn’t too bad. I bought a heat gun for the job, and it took some time, but did the work. However, when I bend it, not unexpectedly, the inside of the bend bent, a lot. Although the angle was good, the bend was significantly distorted inside. I use the heat gun to heat up small parts that were really badly buckled and used a 2×4 to bend them back out. When I was done it was a lot better, but it’s sure not pretty. I suggested to ClearVue they should sell a mating fitting. They said they would consider it, and mentioned folks usually use a short piece of 6” hose to connect. I don’t have any 6” hose, and really didn’t want to by a length just for that.

Some general shots of the piping:

Table Saw – I ran 6” into the table saw, making a new flange from scrap plywood. I ran a 4” to my new Shark Guard so I can get some dust collection when I’m ripping.

Jointer/Planer – I ran 6” to the jointer, again, making a new flange out of scrap plywood. I used a 4” with flex hose to the planner; I figure it should work fine since the planner already has a built in blower to help push the chips. Besides, their really wasn’t any way to increase the size of the dust port on the planner.

Drill Press and Downdraft Table – I installed a 2.5” stay-put flex hose to the drill press; it might not be great, but it should be better than the nothing I had before. This is also the same port I’ll use to attach the hose from the sander. From the same drop I used a 4” flex hose to reach my homemade downdraft table. that, along with dust collection off the sander should work pretty well. Haven’t tried it out so, so time will tell.

Bandsaw/Router Table – For the bandsaw I use a short length of 4” flex to the built in port (again, no way to increase size) and also added a 2.5” stay-put flex hose. This setup does seem to work a lot better than my old system. On my router table I built a box that fits over the motor and lift and gives my dust collection, along with the 2.5” hose connection off the fence.

I can’t give a full evaluation yet, as I’ve only had the system set up for a few weeks. I can tell you that the cyclone really moves a lot of air, it’s quite impressive. I’ll post a final chapter to this in a few months with a better evaluation of performance. It’s also really cool to see the chips spinning around in the cyclone.

Very nice setup. I look forward to your future updates of its capabilities..
Is that one really long filter you have or is it 2 that are fastened end to end? With the silver seam in the middle I am guessing it is 2. How are they fastened together?

Greg, yes they ship two filters. The instructions show an old style that had flanges with gaskets that you ran screws through to connect them. The new style are smooth metal end caps, no gaskets. They provide a strap with a bolt and a wing nut to clamp them together. I used some HVAC duct tape first, then used the strap. You caulk the bottom filter to the cleanout box at the bottom, and at the top you run some drywall screws through the transition flange into the top of the top filter, then seal with tape of caulk. I taped.

You just want to make sure there aren’t any paths for the fine dust to be thrown back into your shop.

I’m late to this party, but very interested in your work, and experience.

I’m having the CV1800 delivered within the next month, and am looking at the 6” PVC Schedule 40 – this is the thick stuff, I believe. Is this what you used, both dimensionally (6”) and thickness (the ‘Schedule’) or is yours something lighter? Now, a year+ into your installation, what is your experience – both with the suction and the piping?

The 6” schedule 40 stuff is expensive, thicker than you need, and much heavier to work with; but it is readily available. I used thin walled ASTM-2729; this is much cheaper, thinner, and lighter to work with, but harder to find. I struck out at a big box store, and at a private store, but finally found it at a local irrigation supply house.

After using it for a while, I have no complaints. It has no issues handling the vacuum, The static is minor; rarely even get a slight shock. The suction is great. The piping has held together perfectly. The blast gates work without issue. The strapping I used to hold up the pipe has held up well. No issues; all is good.

Love the cyclone, still don’t have more than a thin layer of dust at the filter cleanout.

It is loud, no question. It rivals the table saw for noise, but I think that’s to be expected with a 5hp motor. I would strongly recommend hearing protection while it’s running, but I figure I always wear hearing protection whenever I have a power tool running, so no big deal. I could build an enclosure to cut down on the noise, but I never bothered.

I am from MD i did a very similar set up I got my fittings and pipe from NORTH EASTERN Plumbing supply good prices and ton of options, What part of MD are you in.

jmos:

I m late to this party, but very interested in your work, and experience.

I m having the CV1800 delivered within the next month, and am looking at the 6” PVC Schedule 40 – this is the thick stuff, I believe. Is this what you used, both dimensionally (6”) and thickness (the Schedule ) or is yours something lighter? Now, a year+ into your installation, what is your experience – both with the suction and the piping?